Eva Mendes: Ryan Gosling the ‘most precious thing to me’

Think Eva Mendes will turn up the glam factor at tonight's Fashion Oscars (aka The Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Costume Institute Gala)? (Michael Kors already called it "the most glamorous night of the year," today via Twitter.)

We're betting the answer is yes. Mendes recently sat down with USA TODAY and shared why she's stayed out of the spotlight in the past year. "I've just laid low," she told USA TODAY's Andrea Mandell. "I feel like if you don't have a reason to be out there, why would you want to be? It's certainly part of the job, but unless I have some kind of tie to an event, whether it's promoting a movie I'm in or a product I'm endorsing or a friend that's involved, I'd rather be home."

Her new movie, Girl in Progress, in which she plays Grace, a sexy, irresponsible single mother, opens Friday, so we think she'll drop by the gala tonight. But don't expect her to walk the carpet with boyfriend Ryan Gosling - he's the one topic the super-friendly actress regards as off-limits. "I'm feeling a little insecure because I can't help but be super conscious of what I'm saying because I'm so protective," she said, when asked about him. "That's the most precious thing to me. And I'm so protective and I just felt my guard go up."

But she did share her fashion rules around the house. "I don't believe in sweats," she said. "I really don't! My house attire is housedresses. I'm not a jeans girl."

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About Ann Oldenburg

Ann has worn out many stilettos chasing celebs for USA TODAY. She's covered the Oscars, the Emmys, the Golden Globes, and has interviewed stars ranging from Tom Cruise to Rosie O'Donnell. Ann knows entertainment news is best served as a hot dish to friends and she's hoping you'll dig right in. More about Ann